Fogging apparatus



Oct. 1, 1957 w.J.1-AMM|NGA FOGGING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 23, 1955 TTOENEYFOGGING APPARATUS William J. Tamminga, Goshen, N. Y., assignor to Wiz-Products, Inc., Goshen, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationGctober 23, 1953, Serial No. 388,016

1 Claim. (Cl. 299-140) This invention relates to a method of sterilizingand disinfecting food handling equipment and apparatus for practicingthe same. The method and device of this invention are adapted forgeneral application, but intended primarily for use in connection withthe handling and transportation of milk.

Of all foods, milk is probably one of the most susceptible tocontamination by pathogenic and putrefactive bacteria and stringent lawsare in force in practically all communities to minimize the action ofthe same from the time the milk is produced until it is delivered to theultimate purchaser. The milk handling industry utilizes large quantitiesof disinfecting and sterilizing agents in connection with their milkhandling equpment and their milk transportation facilities. All milkhandling apparatus, conduits and tank trucks are disinfected andsterilized and the technique of these operations is carried out with theutmost care.

Experience has shown that there is certain equipment, such as theinterior of closed vessels, tanks and tank trucks, that cannot beeconomically or efficiently rendered sterile because of their structureswhich cannot be readily reached by hosing or mechanically treated by anyof the other methods heretofore commonly used in the industry.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of and devicefor carrying out eifective and complete sterilization in a simple,eflcient and economical manner.

I am able to accomplish these results by generating or producing anextremely tine aerated dispersion of a disinfectant in the form of afog, with the dispersed aqueous solution in such inely divided form thatit will oat in the atmosphere as mist and, as such, will penetrate allparts of the innermost recesses of closed vessels and containers. By sodoing, such closed spaces may be entirely filled with the fog whichcomes into intimate contact with each and every portion of the surfacethereof. Upon contact with the surface, the fog-like mist condensesthereon to form over and upon such surfaces a continuous lm or pellicleof the disinfecting solution and thus insure a thorough disinfectingtreatment.

The invention has been found particularly useful in the sterilizationand disinfecting of large tanks, especially the interiors of holdingtanks and tank trucks which have heretofore presented an extremelydiilicult problem of sanitization. In utilizing this invention in thisconnection, it has been found thoroughly practical and highly efiicientto introduce the fog through an appropriate opening in the tank. Whenthus introduced through such an opening, the interiorhof the tankbecomes iilled with fog and a complete treatment is assured. The same Q.general practice may be carried out by introducing the fog through anopening of any other closed receptacle, container or equipment.

Aqueous solutions of chlorine are widely used in the dairy business. Thesame solutions may be used in carrying out the present invention, thesesolutions being converted into a fog through the use of the device whichalso States Patent O forms the subject matter of this invention. Thisdevice is shown in central longitudinal section in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 isa central longitudinal section of a fog producing deviceembodying the present invention and adapted to carry out themethodthereof.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a valve housing comprising acontrol valve 2, positioned intermediate the ends of a passage 3,extending longitudinally through the valve housing. One end of thispassage is threaded as at 4 for connection therewith to an appropriatesupply of compressed air` The other end of the passage 3 is threaded asat 5 to receive a fitting 6. This fitting supports two concentric tubes,the outer of which is designated 7, while the inner is designated 8. Theinner end of the inner tube 8 is in alinement with and communicates withthe passage 3 of the valve housing, while the interior of the outer tube7 is in communication with the interior of a nipple 9 to which isattached one end of a flexible hose 10, the distant end of which isadapted to be immersed in, e. g., an aqueous solution of chlorinecontained in any appropriate supply receptacle.

The outer end of the outer tube 7 carries a tting 11 having therethrougha passage 12 and into this passage extends a corresponding end of theinner tube 8 which is there contracted to form a nozzle 13, whichextends well into the passage 12. The nozzle 13 is contracted, asstated, to form a relatively small discharge outlet opening, so as todischarge air therethrough at high velocity. It will be noted from Fig.l that the spacing between the wall of the passage 12 and the nozzleindicated at 14 is extremely close to form an orifice of relativelysmall cross sectional area, so that the feed of the disinfectingsolution therethrough is meager.

The valve 2 is operable by a push button 15 which, when pressed, actsagainst a spring 16 to unseat the valve 2 and allow compressed air toenter and pass through the valve housing and through the inner tube 8,to be discharged through the passage 12 of the fitting 11. An injectoraction -is thus set up Within the tting 11 with the result that thedisinfecting agent is drawn through the tube 10 into the annular passagebetween the inner and outer tubes 8 and 7, respectively, and commingledwithin the passage 12 with compressed air passing at high velocitythrough such passage. The openings through which the air and liquid passare relatively small and the velocity of the air is high andconsequently the liquid is broken up into an extremely tine dispersionin the air current and is discharged from the fitting 11 in the form ofa fine mist, so iine in fact that it floats in the atmosphere and formsthe fog to which I have referred. Experience has shown that, if thisinvention is employed, e. g., by inserting the fitting 11 into anopening in a closed space and the valve 2 then unseated, the resultingfog may be fed into the space to entirely till the same and deposit uponits surfaces the sanitizing and disinfecting lni, as hereinbeforedescribed.

The present invention has many important aspects. It will positivelyinsure the complete sterilization and disinfecting of the surfaces towhich it is appiied. It will insure the filming of the disinfectant overall portions of the surfaces to which the fog is exposed. Thedisinfecting operation may be carried out completely and thoroughly incontradistinction to the hit and miss practices heretofore employed.Furthermore, it is economical and saves many man hours in carrying outthe disinfecting operation. The apparatus employed is simple. The partsare fixed and non-adjustable and cannot be tampered with in such manneras to interfere with the proper fog formation.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the preferred practicalform of the invention, but the invention Patented Oct. 1, 1957" f 3 Y isto be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claim.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device for producing fog which comprises z' a valve havinga compressedair passage, a normally closed control valve in said passage having apushibutton exteri'vzn'ly of the housing for unseatingA said' valve, aninlet tting screwed into one end ofthe passage and `having therein achamber, a liquid inlet leadingdirectly into ksaid chamber intermediatethe ends of said fitting,` an outer tube the rea-r end of which extendsinto said chamber and to the forward end of which is -aixed an outlettting provided withv an elongated seat counterbored to provide anelongated cylindrical Youtlet passage, an inner ,tube the rear end ofwhich is secured to the inlet tting in communication-with the compressedairpassage, said inner tube eX- tending forwardly through saidv chamberYand through the outer tube through said seat and having a contractedforward end forming a liquid nozzle extending in closely spaced relationinto the elongated cylindrical outlet passage of the outlet tting toprovide between the liquid nozzle and said cylindrical passage anannular liquid outlet orice of relatively small cross sectional area.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,016,145 Harker 1311.30, 1912 2,497,101 Starr Feb. 14, 1950 2,577,025Lundberg Dec. 4, 1951 2,577,437 Stringer Dec. 4, 1951 2,580,780 HirshonJan. 1, 1952 2,595,826 Winks May 6, 1952 2,635,010 Sanders Apr. 14, 19532,640,753 Morris et al June 2, 1953

